The present invention relates generally to a system for processing lottery ticket transactions, and more particularly, to a system for processing lottery tickets which are not activated until one or more customer-defined activation conditions, such as a predefined minimum lottery jackpot, are satisfied.
Many government and private entities conduct lotteries. Government conducted lotteries offer players the chance to win a large prize, and have the added benefit of increasing governmental revenues without burdening the public with additional taxes. In many instances, the revenue generated from a governmental lottery is dedicated, at least in part, to a particular purpose or goal, such as improving the education system or reducing property taxes.
Typically, government-conducted lottery systems utilize a central lottery computer to communicate with remote dedicated lottery terminals. A player typically selects numbers on a lottery xe2x80x9csense mark slipxe2x80x9d, and the lottery terminal operator inserts the sense mark slip into a reader at the lottery terminal, which optically reads the sense mark slip using a known mark sensing process. Alternatively, most lottery systems offer automatic lottery number generation features, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cquick-pickxe2x80x9d systems, which randomly select lottery numbers on behalf of the player. The dedicated lottery terminal then communicates the player""s selected numbers to the central lottery computer for validation and storage. After the lottery numbers have been stored, the dedicated lottery terminal, under the direction of the central lottery computer, prints and issues the official lottery ticket.
One popular lottery game, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9clottoxe2x80x9d, typically requires the player to choose six numbers between one and forty-two. The selected group of numbers are then compared to the winning lottery numbers, which have been randomly selected from the larger pool of numbers, between one and forty-two, at some specified time and date after purchase of the lotto ticket. To win a prize, the player-selected lotto ticket numbers must match all or some of the winning lottery numbers.
Lotto drawings are typically conducted on a periodic basis, with many state lotteries conducting xe2x80x9clottoxe2x80x9d drawings as often as twice per week. Previously, players were required to appear in person at a dedicated lottery terminal to purchase their lottery tickets for each lottery drawing. In order to increase ticket sales, as well as customer-convenience, many lottery systems now offer subscription sales of lottery tickets, which automatically enter a player in the lottery game for a predefined number of weeks, often at a discounted price.
If the jackpot prize is not awarded for a particular lotto drawing, the jackpot prize value typically rolls over to increase the jackpot for the subsequent drawing. Thus, jackpots increase from week to week as no one wins. The amount of the jackpot prize is typically determined based on a sales trend from the prior year. It has been found that many people only buy lottery tickets when the jackpot exceeds a certain amount. Thus, as the jackpot prize gets larger, there is a dramatic increase in the number of tickets sold. Occasionally, when jackpots have risen to particularly large amounts, some lottery systems have not had sufficient capacity to meet the increased ticket demand.
Thus, during times of peak demand, players are met with longer lines at lottery terminals, and generally find it more frustrating to obtain a lottery ticket. Rather than providing an environment that encourages such infrequent players to become regular players, the difficulty associated with obtaining a lottery ticket for a large jackpot often discourages players from returning. While the subscription sale of lottery tickets allows regular players to enroll in all drawings for a predefined period, and thereby avoid a time-consuming trip to the lottery terminal when the jackpot increases, conventional lottery subscription sale systems do not provide a solution for infrequent players who only want to enroll in drawings associated with larger jackpot prizes.
As apparent from the above-described deficiencies with conventional systems for processing lottery ticket transactions, a need exists for a lottery ticket sale system that allows a player to buy lottery tickets in advance and specify the conditions, such as a desired minimum jackpot amount, at which the player would like the lottery ticket to become active. A further need exists for a system that increases ticket sales, as well as player convenience, particularly at times of peak demand. Yet another need exists for a lottery system that enables conditional lottery play.
Generally, according to one aspect of the invention, a conditional lottery ticket system processes conditional lottery ticket transactions, including the acceptance and validation of play entries. The conditional lottery ticket system preferably includes a central lottery server and one or more remote lottery terminals. The conditional lottery ticket system permits a player to purchase conditional lottery tickets that are not activated until one or more player-defined activation conditions are satisfied. The player-defined activation conditions may include, for example, a minimum lottery jackpot, a particular future date of activation, or a particular external event, such as when the moon on the drawing date will be a full moon. The player may be permitted to play a conditional lottery ticket at no additional charge over the normal cost of a conventional lottery ticket, as an incentive for increased play, or upon payment of an additional fee, as a premium charged to the player for the convenience offered by the conditional lottery ticket.
The conditional lottery ticket system preferably permits a player to purchase conditional lottery tickets (i) individually, whereby the player""s lottery ticket is activated the next time the player-specified activation conditions are satisfied; (ii) on a subscription basis for a predefined fee, whereby the player""s lottery ticket is automatically activated a predefined number of times when the player-specified activation conditions are satisfied; or (iii) on a perpetual subscription basis, whereby the player""s lottery ticket is automatically activated each time the player-specified activation conditions are satisfied until the subscription is cancelled.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the conditional lottery ticket system permits the player to specify the numbers to be played for each game, as well as any activation conditions. In one embodiment, a player utilizes a sense mark strip or another suitable computer-readable material, to indicate the numbers to be played and any activation conditions. Alternatively, the conditional lottery ticket system may incorporate a xe2x80x9cquick-pickxe2x80x9d lottery number generation feature, which randomly selects lottery numbers on behalf of the player, either at the time of sale or at the time the ticket is activated.
The lottery terminal reads the sense mark slip and the player""s selected numbers and any specified activation conditions are then communicated to the central lottery server for validation and storage. After the selected lottery numbers and any activation conditions have been stored, the lottery terminal, under the direction of the central lottery server, preferably prints and issues the official lottery ticket, indicating the lottery numbers to be played, as well as any specified activation conditions. The conditional lottery ticket system preferably evaluates the pending conditional lottery tickets to determine if the player-defined activation conditions of any conditional lottery tickets are satisfied on a periodic basis, or at some predefined time period before each lottery drawing.
Another aspect of the invention allows a player to specify one or more side bets, for example, on the number of jackpot winners, or on particular characteristics of the jackpot winners, such as the sex, county, or age of the jackpot winner, preferably for an additional amount over the normal cost of a lottery ticket. Prizes for the side bet can be separately awarded or awarded as a multiplier of conventional lottery jackpot awards.
A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the present invention, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description and drawings.